Portable electronic device

• US 8,543,168 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zurek, Robert A., Dai, Steve X., Steuer, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US12/967,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20120149437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/551, 455/556.2, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 455/90.1, 455/556.1, 345/173
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/18 at the periphery

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a free floating display lens having a stiffener ring mounted on a peripheral region or edge of the free floating display lens to affect modal density and modal distribution of the free floating display lens. Additionally, a piezoelectric supporting structure is attached to the stiffener ring, while surrounding a display, wherein the piezoelectric supporting structure is electrically driven to produce an acoustic signal in one mode and a vibratory haptic signal in another mode.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a. a free floating display lens having a stiffener ring mounted on a peripheral region or edge of the free floating display lens;

b. one or more electromechanical transducers carried on a supporting structure, the supporting structure having a first end attached to the stiffener ring;

c. a display positioned between the free floating display lens and the supporting structure;

d. a user interface controller that sends signals to the one or more electromechanical transducers to enable an acoustic signal in one mode and a vibratory haptic signal in another mode; and

e. a housing that substantially encloses the one or more electromechanical transducers, the display, and the user interface controller.

2. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display is surrounded by the supporting structure.

3. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a skeletal structure for providing structural integrity to the portable electronic device.

4. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the skeletal structure is mechanically grounded to a second end of the supporting structure.

5. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the skeletal structure is a housing for the portable electronic device.

6. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the supporting structure, for mounting the one or more electomechanical transducers, is a thin bendable structure attached at its periphery to the stiffener ring and at its center to the skeletal structure.

7. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electromechanical transducer is mounted in a bender configuration.

8. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electromechanical transducer is mounted in a cantilever configuration.

9. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an acoustic suspension seal.

10. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the acoustic suspension seal is selected from the group consisting of a half roll elastomeric roll, a thin stretchable elastomer, a wiper, and a compression gasket.

11. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more electromechanical transducers is selected from the group consisting of an armature motor, a piezoelectric element, and a moving coil motor.

12. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting structure is an elastomeric gasket in combination with embedded rigid standoffs.

13. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electromechanical transducer is attached to the rigid standoffs causing the electromechanical transducer to operate in a cantilever fashion.

14. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electromechanical transducer is attached to the rigid standoffs at both ends and the middle of the electromechanical transducer thereby causing the electromechanical transducer to operate in a bender fashion.

15. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stiffener ring has varying thicknesses along circumference of the display.

16. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enabled acoustic signal is emitted as a private-level audio output in a private operating mode.

17. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enabled acoustic signal is emitted as a hands free, speakerphone level audio output in a speakerphone operating mode.

18. A method for providing audio and haptic signals to a free floating display lens of a portable electronic device, comprising the steps of:

a) driving an electromechanical transducer carried by a supporting structure with an electrical signal to enable an acoustic signal in one mode and a vibratory haptic signal in another mode; and

b) controlling frequency along varying thickness portions of a stiffener ring carried on the supporting structure;

wherein the supporting structure comprises a first end attached to the stiffener ring mounted on a peripheral region or edge of the free floating display lens, and wherein a display is positioned between the free floating display lens and the supporting structure.